A couple of weeks ago, I saw this meme over at Cara's blog (I'm slow, I know). I managed to go through six months of bloglife without getting sucked into the meme trap. But I have succumbed. Without thinking it through clearly, I asked for a letter. And got one. And that letter is D. When I asked for the letter, I wasn't totally committed to actually doing the meme – I gave myself the option to do it or not. But since receiving my D, it's all I can think about. Which D words have meaning in my life? And which ones don't? There have been lots of D words that I've rejected, as they have no place in my world.

So here's how it works. You get a letter from someone, and then you list ten things, themes, theories etc in your life that begin with that letter.

1. Development assistance: This is my field of work, and I love it. For those who don't know what that means, the mandate of the organization I work for is "Supporting sustainable development, reducing poverty and providing humanitarian assistance in order to promote a more secure, equitable and prosperous world". Basically, I manage a (small) portion of the money that Canada gives to assist developing countries. I feel very fortunate to have such a great and meaningful job.

2. Distances: Part of what makes my job great is the travel involved. As tiring as it gets sometimes, I wouldn't want to do this type of work without the opportunity to get out into the field and visit the projects we are supporting. It makes all that paper-pushing I do worthwhile. So far, I've been to 11 African countries (some of them on multiple occasions).  My worldwide total is 23, and that is without yet going anywhere in Asia or South America. Every country I have visited has offered me a glimpse into the variety of bits that make up our world. And I never cease to be inspired.

3. Diseases: One of the biggest challenges facing Southern Africa, where my work is currently focused, is the impact of diseases, including HIV/AIDS and malaria. Working in this field, you can't help but feel the impact of these diseases. If you haven't yet read it, I strongly recommend Race Against Time by Stephen Lewis. Better yet, if you ever get the chance to hear him speak, don't pass it up. He's an amazing speaker. He's speaking here in Ottawa on January 18 at Carleton.

4. Donations: There are a lot of worthy organizations out there doing great work to make a difference in the world. I'm sure most of you that read this already know about the Yarn Harlot's "Knitters without Borders" campaign to raise funds for Doctors without Borders. We're collectively raising huge amounts of money for a great cause. When I made my donation, I indicated that I was  donating as a part of Knitters without Borders. The other day, I received a card in the mail, with a handwritten note that read " Dear Leanne, Thanks so much for your generosity. Knitters are amazing!! Ben Chapman (Steph's brother-in-law)" How cool is that?

5. Debbie: As I've mentioned previously, my sister Debbie died in November. I didn't really know her very well – we haven't lived together, or even in the same city, since I was 9. I went to Halifax for her funeral, and was struck by just how many people knew and loved my sister. The visitation at the funeral home was packed with people, and the turnout for her funeral was overwhelming. It was standing room only in the church. Debbie had so many friends and touched so many lives. I can't help but contrast that with my own life. I'm not a really social person. I have a small circle of acquaintances, and an even smaller circle of friends. While it is not my intention to live my life more like Debbie did, I have decided that I need to get out more and meet new people. I've started going to local knit nights. Some evenings I have to force myself to go, as my natural instinct is to just stay home. But I've been going, and having a wonderful time each time. It's a start.

6. Dog: My dog, Macha, is the love of my life (actually, she's one of two loves of my life, but I can't think of any D words to talk about Sidney, so he'll just have to be content with being an aside in a discussion about our dog!). Macha is almost 11 and has been in our lives since she was 6 weeks old. She's a shepherd/border collie mix and used to be a fantastic frisbee dog. She's now a bit on the old side for active frisbee playing, but she's still got energy that would put most 4-year-olds to shame.

7. Drama: There has been a lot of drama in my life lately. But I don't want to go into details here. So 'nuff said.

8. Drained: Related to number 7, lately I've felt really emotionally drained. Which is partially why I haven't been blogging nearly as much as I'd like to. But I have been knitting!

9. Dulaan: I've been doing a lot of Dulaan knitting these days. I've been experimenting with Elizabeth Zimmermann stuff, in children's sizes. I have a couple of new Dulaan FOs to show, which will be the subject of another post. I've been making these items partially to play around with ideas for a sweater to make for myself. I'm also using a lot of recycled yarn for these items, which is good on the budget!

10. Design: Specifically, logo design. After a wee bit of nagging gentle prodding, Sidney has made me a new logo for my blog. I'm thrilled with it! I hope you like it too. The little things flying around the cherub are "knit bugs" (since I've been bit by the knitting bug). They are made of winged balls of yarn, with knitting needles stuck in them.

So there are my 10 Ds. If you'd like a letter, mention it in the comments and I'll send you one.